Beartooth

Aggressive

Ohio-based hardcore punks, Beartooth have grown massively in popularity over the last couple of years. What started out as a side project for Frontman Caleb Shomo while he was still in Attack Attack! soon became a platform for supporting Slipknot in arenas. Now they have released their second album, “Aggressive” and Shomo has promised this album will contain a whole new set of emotions

The side project became the main focus for Shomo when he left Attack Attack! due to struggles with depression, and those struggles became the main inspiration for Beartooth’s 2014 album, “Disgusting”. Shomo has explained that he was in a really bad place when he wrote “Disgusting”, but he is now in a much better place emotionally and a has a lot of things in life to be happy about. So why is the new album called “Aggressive”? Because the frontman has said he is pissed off at how he let depression control his life and that the new album is a lot angrier than its predecessor. The first album was sad, “Aggressive” is a lot more hostile.

While the core emotions have changed on this album, the important factors that make Beartooth sound so fun, yet vicious at the same time haven’t. Just like on “Disgusting”, we are treated to songs that are laced with brutal breakdowns and the crunchiest grooves. Vocals switch between ferocious throaty shouts to choruses that sing in anthemic fashion, it’s all captivating.

Take the opening title-track, it starts off with riffs that punch you in the face and equally hard hitting beats. The attitude of “Aggressive” is just that, but the chorus is infectiously catchy to the point you can’t help but sing along. It’s like listening to a rawer, grittier sounding A Day To Remember.

Songs like ‘Hated’ and ‘Burnout’ continue to deliver that perfect mixture of ‘in your face’ pit starters with choruses that make you want to shout at the top of your lungs. “Sick of Me” however is less aggressive and focuses on the fun. It lets the pop-punk influence thrive with bouncy hooks and a joyful atmosphere. Like a melodic punk-rock hit with a dirty edge to it.

“Always Dead” is the polar opposite. It’s a track that is all out annihilation fuelled by Lucozade. Fast riffs, energetic beats and rabid shouty vocals that will cause chaos at any show. Then we are thrown a curve ball as it is followed up by the catchiest song on the album, “However You Want It Said”. Starting off with “ohh woah” chants, the singing is mostly clean and the vocal melodies are infectiously appealing. Without a doubt, this will become a party anthem.

“Aggressive” shifts between the fun and the tenacious more times than you can count. What you are guaranteed to get is tracks that will either make you lose your shit or lose your voice. One thing that stands out on this album is that there is little filler, a lot of these songs could be used as a single and they would be absolute hits. It’s hard not to be impressed with how well Beartooth have stepped up to produce an album not only worthy of, but better than their popular debut album.

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Download: However You Want It Said, Always Dead, Sick Of Me, AggressiveFor The Fans Of: A Day To Remember, The Ghost Inside, LetliveListen: facebook.com